Alumni Authors: Social Justice

A frank and enlightening discussion on race and the law in America today, from some of our leading legal minds--including the bestselling author of Just Mercy This blisteringly candid discussion of the American racial dilemma in the age of Black Lives Matter brings together the head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the former attorney general of the United States, a bestselling author and death penalty lawyer, and a star professor for an honest conversation the country desperately needs to hear. Drawing on their collective decades of work on civil rights issues as well as personal histories of rising from poverty and oppression, these titans of the legal profession discuss the importance of working for justice in an unjust time. Covering topics as varied as "the commonality of pain," "when 'public' became a dirty word," and the concept of an "equality dividend" that is due to people of color for helping America brand itself internationally as a country of diversity and acceptance, Sherrilyn Ifill, Loretta Lynch, Bryan Stevenson, and Anthony C. Thompson engage in a deeply thought-provoking discussion on the law's role in both creating and solving our most pressing racial quandaries. A Perilous Path will speak loudly and clearly to everyone concerned about America's perpetual fault line.

In this reasoned exploration of justice, retribution, and redemption, the champion of the new monastic movement, popular speaker, and author of the bestselling The Irresistible Revolution offers a powerful and persuasive appeal for the abolition of the death penalty. The Bible says an eye for an eye. But is the state's taking of a life true--or even practical--punishment for convicted prisoners In this thought-provoking work, Shane Claiborne explores the issue of the death penalty and the contrast between punitive justice and restorative justice, questioning our notions of fairness, revenge, and absolution. Using an historical lens to frame his argument, Claiborne draws on testimonials and examples from Scripture to show how the death penalty is not the ideal of justice that many believe. Not only is a life lost, so too, is the possibility of mercy and grace. In Executing Grace, he reminds us of the divine power of forgiveness, and evokes the fundamental truth of the Gospel--that no one, even a criminal, is beyond redemption.

Join Shane Claiborne as he invites you to rediscover the biblical practice of loving your neighbor, using unconventional examples from his own life to stir up questions about the church and the world while challenging you to truly live out your faith. In this updated and expanded edition of The Irresistible Revolution, bestselling author and activist Shane Claiborne challenges us to remember that the Great Commission sends us into the world not just to make believers but to form disciples who know how to love the way God calls us to. In The Irresistible Revolution, Shane describes an authentic faith rooted in belief, action, and love, inviting us into a movement of the Spirit that begins inside each of us and extends into a broken world. He asks and answers key questions like: How can I sustain my faith and combat burnout Should Christians be involved in politics How does God want me to spend my life With new material throughout the book, Shane adds new stories, shares what his community looks like now, and brings you fresh inspiration to live out this message in practical ways. Come join the revolution. Praise for The Irresistible Revolution: "Shane Claiborne is a living experiment--evangelical zeal mixed with grassroots activism; passion for Jesus mixed with prison time for feeding the poor. This is a rant for love, aimed at cowards seeking courage." --Aiden Enns, publisher, Geez Magazine "Written with endearing humor and astonishing courage, The Irresistible Revolution describes a young man's embrace of uncompromising commitment to Jesus' teachings." --Kathy Kelly, author; cofounder of Voices in the Wilderness

For all the Christians facing conflict between Jesus' words and their own lives, for all the non-Christians who feel they rarely see Jesus' commands reflected in the choices of his followers, Red Letter Revolution is a blueprint for a new kind of Christianity, one consciously centered on the words of Jesus, the Bible's "red letters." Framed as a captivating dialogue between Shane Claiborne, a progressive young evangelical, and Tony Campolo, a seasoned pastor and professor of sociology, Red Letter Revolution is a life-altering manifesto for skeptics and Christians alike. It is a call to a lifestyle that considers first and foremost Jesus' explicit, liberating message of sacrificial love. Shane and Tony candidly bring the words of Jesus to bear on contemporary issues of violence, community, Islam, hell, sexuality, civil disobedience, and twenty other critical topics for people of faith and conscience today. The resulting conversations reveal the striking truth that Christians guided unequivocally by the words of Jesus will frequently reach conclusions utterly contrary to those of mainstream evangelical Christianity. If the Jesus who speaks to you through the Gospels is at odds with the Christian culture you know, if you have ever wanted to stand up and say, "I love Jesus, but that's not me," Red Letter Revolution will prove that you are not alone--you may have been a Red Letter Christian all along. Endorsements: "This book, by a young and an elderly Christian, will help you decide how we Christians could change the world if we took the 'red letter' words of Jesus literally and seriously." --President Jimmy Carter "In Red Letter Revolution the uncompromised truth of Jesus' teachings are given voice by two modern-day Christian leaders who do more than preach this Good News. They walk the talk and lead the way." --Archbishop Desmond Tutu "I started reading this book and couldn't stop. . . . Thank you, Tony and Shane. Thank you for this book. May the movement spread around the world." --Abuna Elias Chacour,?Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Galilee "Red Letter Revolution is an adrenaline-producing conversation with prophetic bite." --Eugene H. Peterson, author of The Message Bible "I cannot over-emphasize or exaggerate the richness of this book." --Phyllis Tickle, author of Emergence Christianity "In this courageous and well crafted book, we have a return to the core message of the Gospel from two Christians who first tried to live it themselves--and only then spoke." --Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation "Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo are two of the most significant prophetic voices in the Christian world." --Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun Magazine (tikkun.org) "This is a must-read book for anyone who is seeking to take Jesus' call on their lives seriously." --Jim Wallis, founder and editor of Sojourners magazine "If you ever wished you could eavesdrop on a conversation with two of the world's most interesting and inspiring Christians, just turn to page one." --Brian D. McLaren, author/speaker (brianmclaren.net)

Re-imagine Leading and Following in a World Longing for True Justice, Compassion and Freedom Followers of Christ yearn to see the world changed in compassionate, positive, effective ways. As prophetic voices, Shane Claiborne and John Perkins lead the way in this move to be the hands, feet and heart of Jesus. One is young, a self proclaimed reformed redneck who grew up in the hills of Tennessee and now lives in inner city Philadelphia and the other is decades older, an African-American civil rights leader who was almost beaten to death by police in Mississippi, and went on to found a reconciliation movement and counsel three American presidents. Claiborne and Perkins draw on more than a century of combined following and learning, activating and leading. Together they craft a timely message for ordinary people willing to take radical steps to see real change happen. In Follow Me to Freedom, Claiborne and Perkins lead the way toward justice for all, unfolding a proven strategy as ancient as the patriarchs of faith and as fresh as the needs of every human heart. Starting with Moses as a model, they re-imagine leading and following in a world desperate for true social justice, compassion and freedom. They offer practical ways to internalize and live out God's promise of freedom in the twenty-first century. Followers of Christ will not only be inspired but also catalyzed into action, and the world will never be the same.

Jesus for President is a radical manifesto to awaken the Christian political imagination, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in Jesus and the incarnation of the peculiar politic of the church as a people "set apart" from this world. In what can be termed lyrical theology, Jesus for President poetically weaves together words and images to sing (rather than dictate) its message. It is a collaboration of Shane Claiborne's writing and stories, Chris Haw's reflections and research, and Chico Fajardo-Heflin's art and design. Drawing upon the work of biblical theologians, the lessons of church history, and the examples of modern-day saints and ordinary radicals, Jesus for President stirs the imagination of what the Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus instead of Caesar. A fresh look at Christianity and empire, Jesus for President transcends questions of "Should I vote or not?" and "Which candidate?" by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith and allegiance. It's written for those who seek to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the kingdom of God.

"Prayer is not so much about convincing God to do what we want God to do as it is about convincing ourselves to do what God wants us to do." --from the IntroductionActivists Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove show how prayer and action must go together. Their exposition of key Bible passages provides concrete examples of how a life of prayer fuels social engagement and the work of justice. Phrases like "give us this day our daily bread" and "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" take on new meaning when applied to feeding the hungry or advocating for international debt relief.If you hope to see God change society, you must be an ordinary radical who prays--and then is ready to become the answer to your own prayers.

Letters and e-mails to and from Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way, a member of the Iraq Peace Team which journeyed to Iraq in early 2003 to protest the impending U.S.-led invasion of that country

More Americans have died from guns in the US in the last fifty years than in all the wars in American history. With less than 5% of the world's population, the people of the US own nearly half the world's guns. America also has the most annual gun deaths--homicide, suicide, and accidental gun deaths--at 105 per day, or more than 38,000 per year. Some people say it's a heart problem. Others say it's a gun problem. The authors of Beating Guns believe it's both. This book is for people who believe the world doesn't have to be this way. Inspired by the prophetic image of beating swords into plows, Beating Guns provides a provocative look at gun violence in America and offers a clarion call to change our hearts regarding one of the most significant moral issues of our time. Bestselling author, speaker, and activist Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin show why Christians should be concerned about gun violence and how they can be part of the solution. The authors transcend stale rhetoric and old debates about gun control to offer a creative and productive response. Full-color images show how guns are being turned into tools and musical instruments across the nation. Charts, tables, and facts convey the mind-boggling realities of gun violence in America, but as the authors make clear, there is a story behind every statistic. Beating Guns allows victims and perpetrators of gun violence to tell their own compelling stories, offering hope for change and helping us reimagine the world as one that turns from death to life, where swords become plows and guns are turned into garden tools.

Experience a deeper prayer life through this fresh take on ancient liturgy for believers today. Designed to help individuals, families, and congregations pray together across denominations, this book of common prayer will help you and your community join together each day with the same songs, scriptures, and prayers. Composed under an advisory team of liturgy experts, these three influential and inspiring authors have created Common Prayer--a tapestry of prayer that will help the church be one as God is one. This universal prayer book allows readers to greet each day together, remembering significant dates and Christian heroes in church history, as well as important historic dates in the struggle for freedom and justice. There are morning prayers for each day of the year, evening prayers for each of the seven days of the week, a midday prayer to be repeated throughout the year, and prayers for special occasions. In addition, there are morning prayers for Holy Week. Common Prayer also includes a unique songbook composed of music and classic lyrics to more than fifty songs from various traditions, including African spirituals, traditional hymns, Mennonite gathering songs, and Taize chants. Tools for prayer are scattered throughout to aid those who are unfamiliar with liturgy and to deepen the prayer life of those who are familiar with liturgical prayer. Ultimately, Common Prayer makes liturgy dance, taking the best of the old and bringing new life to it with a fresh fingerprint for the contemporary renewal of the church.

In this new book Rosemary Cowan provides a clear and highly accessible introduction to the work of Cornel West, a provocative and eclectic thinker who has emerged as one of America's foremost public intellectuals.

Centered around the themes of death, women as objects of desire, lost love, motherhood, and children, the poems in this selection offer insight into the work of this well-known abolitionist and advocate of women's rights. Including Grimke's prose and drama, which often focus on lynching, this volume sheds new light on a perspective characterized by the African-American experience of racial pride and the reaction against racists acts.

Unbelievable circumstances. Believable hope. If we follow media accounts, the continent of Africa may seem to be little more than AIDS patients, malnourished babies, child soldiers, and a failing attempt to imitate the West. Though Christians today are increasingly concerned about injustice and human suffering, their effectiveness in Africa is limited by only knowing this "bad news" and the trite, feel-good solutions sometimes bandied about in response. Into the Mud takes readers below the headlines, into real stories of real people living neck-deep in some of Africa's most difficult issues -- but with hands, minds, and hearts rooted in God's kingdom. Each of the interwoven stories and related discussion questions addresses a broader issue of missions and development, including evangelism, literacy and education, microfinance, health services, urbanization and refugee assistance, and more. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter help readers to apply lessons from the chapters to their own ministry contexts. Where the world sees despair, author Christine Jeske sees God writing stories of hope. Study groups, development students, mission teams, and everyday activists alike will be challenged by her stories to enter more deeply into the thick of life's mud.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JAMIE FOXX * A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice--from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. "[Bryan Stevenson's] dedication to fighting for justice and equality has inspired me and many others and made a lasting impact on our country."--John Legend NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN * A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF THE CENTURY A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Seattle Times, Esquire, Time Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn't commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship--and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer's coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. Winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction * Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction * Winner of a Books for a Better Life Award * Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize * Finalist for the Kirkus Reviews Prize * An American Library Association Notable Book "Every bit as moving as To Kill a Mockingbird, and in some ways more so . . . a searing indictment of American criminal justice and a stirring testament to the salvation that fighting for the vulnerable sometimes yields."--David Cole, The New York Review of Books "Searing, moving . . . Bryan Stevenson may, indeed, be America's Mandela."--Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times "Inspiring . . . a work of style, substance and clarity . . . Stevenson is not only a great lawyer, he's also a gifted writer and storyteller."--The Washington Post "As deeply moving, poignant and powerful a book as has been, and maybe ever can be, written about the death penalty."--The Financial Times "Brilliant."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

How does the body of Christ become divided?It's a fact: We live in a divided world. Christians have become so immune to the division that we don't notice it infecting the church. But we're compelled to live with a worldview that brings unity instead of division.Rediscover the power of faith as one believer crosses the color lines. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove realizes the need for black and white Christians to become united in a new way and now proposes a fresh vision of Christian identity beyond the confines of race. Encounter a place where believers of all races are free to be bound in Christ.

The Ordinary Radicals is set against the modern American political and social backdrop of the next Great Awakening. Traveling across the United States on a tour to promote the book "Jesus for President," Shane Claiborne and a rag-tag group of "ordinary radicals" interpret Biblical history and its correlation with the current state of American politics

"Dr. West's work wrestles with the problem of evil in modernity. He urges us to ponder the question: how did I become so well-adjusted to injustice? And how can one muster the courage to speak truth, even when that unnerves and unsettles?''--Rosemary Cowan, Assistant Professor of Political Science; author of, Cornel West: The Politics of Redemption

Based on the book by Bryan Stevenson, EU Class of 1981